Shoal Creek Walk Office Tower Rezoning Approved By Council

Council has voted to approve the zoning change request by Schlosser Development, according to a report by InFactDaily, for the proposed Shoal Creek Walk office, residential, retail tower. Though not out of the fire yet as this was only a first reading and council member Laura Morrison dissenting (shocker!), it’s a good indicator that Schlosser will receive the requested zoning change from downtown mixed use (DMU) to downtown mixed use central urban development (DMU-CURE), a change that is necessary to increase the height limit from 120 feet to 350 feet. Much of the property is encumbered by a Capitol View Corridor.

Schlosser has been making the rounds, and building stakeholder support for this project, for a couple of months. The new development would replace the surface level parking lot just east of Whole Foods. What’s interesting about this zoning review case is that Schlosser is not requesting more density, as measured by FAR (floor to area ratio); rather, they are seeking more height in part of the building, to compensate for the CVC restricted height in another part of the building.

Taking the wind out of the politcal sails of anti-growthers, Schlosser offered up an affordable housing proposal. This is interesting because they are not seeking more density, and therefor have zero obligation to subsidize affordable housing, or pay a fee-in-lieu of affordable housing.

Another office tower was recently announced, next to Gables Park Plaza, not far from Schlosser’s site.

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Jude Galligan, REALTOR, Principal of TOWERS Realty and publisher of Downtown Austin Blog (aka. "DAB"), spends his time matching remarkable people with remarkable properties in Austin’s urban core. A resident owner in downtown Austin, Jude has served on the Board of the Downtown Austin Alliance (DAA) and the City of Austin Downtown Commission. Contact Jude.

A long time downtown Austin resident and owner of TOWERS Realty, Jude has served on the Board of the Downtown Austin Alliance (DAA), Downtown Austin Neighborhood Association (DANA), and as a commissioner with the City of Austin Downtown Commission.